Small Story 324.

Small Story 324. Never Take It for Granted Suhail arrived at his maternal uncle's house in Nanganallur, Chennai, near the famous Anjaneya temple. His uncle, Mr. Muthuswamy, was a retired headmaster, now enjoying a peaceful life there. Suhail pressed the calling bell, and a sweet voice replied from inside, "Coming!" Moments later, the door opened, and a graceful woman welcomed him in. "Is Mr. Muthuswamy here?" Suhail asked politely. "Yes, please come in," she replied with a warm smile. Suhail entered and took a seat. After a couple of minutes, his uncle walked in. They hadn’t seen each other since Suhail’s family moved to Vijayawada years ago after his father's job transfer. "Mama, I’m Suhail, your sister Lakshmi's son. I’ve come from Vijayawada," he introduced himself. "Oh, Suhail! Of course. I remember you now. You were studying when I last saw you. You’ve grown up," Mr. Muthuswamy said, pleasantly surprised. Just then, Lalitha aunty came from the kitchen. "Hey, how are you, Suhail? Just now your mother called and told me you've been transferred to Chennai. Come, let’s have lunch." "No, aunty, thank you. I had a heavy breakfast with a friend. I'm now staying in Anna Nagar, close to my office. I joined last week," Suhail responded politely. "That’s nice. How are your parents—your mother Lakshmi and your father Lakshman?" his uncle asked. "They’re doing fine," whispered Suhail, still curious about the woman who had opened the door. She had disappeared inside. Meanwhile, Lalitha aunty called out, "Swapna, come here for a minute." A moment later, the same woman who had welcomed Suhail returned. "This is Swapna, my friend’s daughter from Tirunelveli. She came last week and is staying with us. Her office is also in Anna Nagar." Suhail was stunned—this was the "dream girl" who had opened the door. Swapna smiled and said, "I’m working as a Project Manager in [Company Name]." Suhail’s jaw dropped. "That’s the company I work for! You're my boss?" "Nice to meet you again," she said warmly. "Where are you staying now?" "I’m staying at my dad's friend’s house near our office. I joined duty on Saturday." "Good to know! Happy to see you here, Suhail," she said, her tone friendly and professional. After spending an hour with the family, Suhail took his leave, his thoughts lingering on Swapna. The next day, he saw her at work and greeted her. She returned the greeting with a smile. A month passed, during which she praised his work in meetings, making Suhail feel proud and happy. Their daily greetings became a small joy for Suhail. But one day, Swapna gathered the team and said cheerfully, "Dear friends, I’m getting married next month in my hometown Tirunelveli. I’d love for all of you to attend. My fiancé is a physician working at a private hospital here in Chennai." She handed out the invitation cards. Suhail felt a wave of sadness, though he hid it well. The realization hit him—it was just his feelings; she had never shown anything more than kindness and professionalism. As he left the room, he recalled his father’s words: > “Never take anything for granted.” K.Ragavan 1-8-25